2021-09-13 18:35:39

Agenda

  • Remote ops
  • Portable ops

Remote ops

Remote ops: Whys and wherefores

  • Fun
  • Technical challenges
  • Promoting the hobby
  • Emergencies?

Background

  • Gear here, you there
  • Two paths
    • Your gear (+ interface device)
    • Someone else’s gear

Technical challenges

  • Rig control (band/frequency/mode/filters/PTT)
  • Audio in/out
  • Latency
    • TCP/IP designed for “packet-ized” communication

Subscription services

1 hr/wk for better equipped station

hrs_wk <- 1
fee_yr <- 99
dollars_hr <- 0.59*60 
wks_yr <- 52
(rhr_yr <- fee_yr + wks_yr*hrs_wk*dollars_hr)
## [1] 1939.8

3 hrs/wk for a lesser-equipped station

hrs_wk <- 3
fee_yr <- 99
dollars_hr <- 0.09*60 
wks_yr <- 52
(rhr_yr <- fee_yr + wks_yr*hrs_wk*dollars_hr)
## [1] 941.4

WebSDR

Your gear

  • VNC-based
    • K3ROG-10 APRS iGate
    • Old Mac Mini running Ubuntu 19, APRSISCE32 under Wine (thanks N3ABF!)

Raspberry Pi-based

RemoteTx https://remotetx.net

  • Hardware
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Elecraft K3, KX2, KX3
    • Yaesu 991
    • Icom IC-7100, 7200, 7300

RemoteTx https://remotetx.net

  • Sofware
    • Custom RPi image
  • Subscription service $40 (6-mos) or $70/year
  • DEMO

Third party software

FlexRadio

  • SmartSDR and Smartlink (for FlexRadio)
  • Windows 10, Mac OS, iOS
  • DEMO

  • Full control of radio, waterfall
  • Easy set-up (largely plug-n-play)
  • Can run digital modes (e.g. FT8) within iOS app itself
  • Works over wifi or even cell networks
  • Mac OS and iOS apps pricey

wfview https://wfview.org

  • Free, open-source program for “modern ICOM radios”
  • Windows, Mac, Linux
  • View IC-705 waterfall via wifi
  • Other rigs require USB connection

K3ROG take

  • SmartSDR is awesome–but you must have a FlexRadio
  • RemoteTx–but only if you have one of the supported radios
  • RigPi–supports broader range of rigs
    • Selling my RigPi Station Server (Pi, case, + interface boards)

  • Remote Ham Radio–let someone else have the headaches–get your feet wet
  • wfview–but only for ICOM rigs

Portable ops

With help from

  • Eric W3EDP
  • Brett W3SWL
  • Gene AM3AJ
  • Dean K3IWI

Why portable?

  • Fun
  • (Sometimes) better operating conditions
  • Technical/physical challenges
  • Event support, emergency prep
  • Jump on the NPOTA, SOTA, POTA, WMPLOTA, RaDAR bandwagon

Considerations

  • Logistics & weather
  • Bands, Frequencies, modes, & RF Power
  • Rigs(s)
  • Power
  • Antennas
  • Logging

Logistics & weather

  • Driving to op site or hiking/biking?
  • How long a stay?
  • Shelter or none?

Bands, frequencies, modes, & RF Power

  • Time of day
  • CW, SSB, digital
  • RF power
    • QRP, <= 5W
    • QRP+, <= 15-20W
    • QRO, 100W

Rigs

  • VHF/UHF
    • HT or mobile
  • HF
    • Elecraft KX2 or KX3 (QRP/QRP+), can add VHF to KX3
    • ICOM IC-705 (includes VHF/UHF; QRP/QRP+)
    • Yaesu FT-818 (QRP) or FT-891 (100W)

  • HF
    • Xiegu 5105, G90
    • Lab599 Discovery TX-500
    • CW-only like QCX+ 40
    • KM3AJ’s IC-7100 setup

Power

  • Rig internal battery
  • External battery
    • \(LiFePO_4\) pricey, but lightweight & small
  • Solar panel + charge controller
    • Roll/fold-up panels
  • Generator

Antennas & masts

  • Trees or no trees
  • “Stake-able” ground or no (e.g. N3M)
  • Multiband vs. monoband
  • Resonant vs. non-resonant

W3SWL set-up

Logistics & weather

  • “Pickup truck” portable

Bands, frequencies, modes & RF power

  • Daytime ops (20m/40m, 80m sometimes)
  • Digital (FT8, JS8Call, PSK31, Winlink)
  • SSB
  • 20-50W sweet spot

Rigs

  • Xiegu G90
    • Price, waterfall, QRP+ (20W), built-in wide range (>3:1) ATU
  • Icom IC-7300

Rig power

  • 20 Ah \(LiFePO_4\)
  • Honda Ridgeline has 110v 150-400 watt AC in-bed power outlet as backup

Antennas

  • 20m home-brew vertical w/radials
    • 16’ fiberglass fishing pole bungeed to a tie-down in the truck bed
  • Wolf River Coils “Silver Bullet Mini” 40-6m vertical

Computer for digital modes

  • Old: Dell Inspiron
  • New: Apple M1 Macbook Air (18hr battery life)
    • Runs fldigi, WSJT-X, JS8Call, Winlink via native apps

Operations

  • POTA: Hyner View SP, Bald Eagle SP
  • WFD 2019: Prince Gallitzin SP

K3ROG set-up

Rig(s)

  • Old: IC-7100 (now KM3AJ’s)
  • New: IC-705 + booster

Bands, frequencies, modes, & power

  • 15m/17m/20m/40m/80m
  • SSB, digital
  • 5-10W; 50-100W

Military mast + tripod

  • 40m/80m NVIS fan dipole
  • No need to guy if < 20’
  • Speaker tripods if can’t stake (e.g., N3M)
  • 6 for $9.95 from Coleman’s
  • Mast hub for $63.00 on Ebay

Chameleon MPAS Lite

  • Multiband, but need tuner
  • Base-loaded vertical
  • EFHW

SOTABeams Band Hopper linked dipole

  • SOTABeams mast in hitch mount
  • Lightweight antenna, nicely built
  • Resonant, but can’t band-hop without adjusting links (alligator clips)

SOTABeams linked dipole

K3ROG quick takes

  • Pricey/good value/heavy-duty/easy to setup/moderately heavy: Chameleon MPAS Lite
  • Mid-price/heavy/stable: Mil mast + tripod
  • Cheap/lite: Fishing pole mast + dipole/EFHW

What’s your jam?

  • It’s a hobby, gosh-darnit!

CW/Digital modes

  • QRP rig (IC-705; KX2/3; Xiegu G90) or
  • CW-only rig
  • Laptop (digital only)

Phone

  • QRP rig + amp or
  • QRO rig

Resources

Ideas

  • How about a multi-POTA activation marathon?
    • Bald Eagle SP
    • Black Mo SP
    • Rothrock SF
    • Whipple Dam SP
    • Greenwood Furnace SP
    • Poe Valley SP
    • Poe Paddy SP

  • Winter Field Day (Jan 29-30, 2022) at Black Mo SP
  • “Middle of Nowhere” Special Event (PA geographic center: N3S/W3E)
  • How about our own RaDAR activity?
  • Field Day 2022 in the field